Postal De Minimis Rule Replace: CBP Makes the January 20, 2027 Mail Entry Deadline Official and Eases PGA Data for Entry Type 13 

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) revealed a last rule within the October 22, 2026 Federal Register that strikes the compliance date for the postal rule’s formal entry necessities from October 22, 2026, to January 20, 2027. The similar day, CBP modified its Entry Type 13 take a look at so filers can submit an email correspondence entry earlier than their Partner Government Agency (PGA) knowledge is full. Importers, e-commerce sellers, and licensed customs brokers dealing with mail shipments topic to PGA necessities, Chapter 98 or 99 duties, or Chapter 98 and free commerce settlement claims now have a printed date and a decrease barrier to start out submitting Entry Type 13. 

Key Takeaways 

• On October 22, 2026, CBP revealed a last rule setting January 20, 2027, because the compliance date for the postal formal entry provisions in 19 CFR 145.12(a)(2)(v) and (vi) (91 FR 66638). 
• The rule covers mail shipments topic to Partner Government Agency (PGA) necessities, topic to duties underneath HTSUS Chapter 98 or 99, or claiming duty-free therapy underneath Chapter 98 or a free commerce settlement. 
• CBP acknowledged that the extension doesn’t change the method at present used for casual mail entries throughout the delay, and that events might come into compliance earlier. 
• In a separate discover efficient October 22, CBP modified the Entry Type 13 take a look at to briefly settle for entries that aren’t accompanied by full digital PGA knowledge. CBP will announce the top of that acceptance in a future Federal Register discover (91 FR 66707). 
• Comments on CBP’s Low-Value Shipments proposal, which might substitute the present postal casual entry course of with Entry Type 13, are due December 7, 2026. 

The Postal Rule’s Formal Entry Deadline Is Now January 20, 2027 

Duty-free de minimis therapy has been suspended for all nations underneath Executive Order 14324, as we coated in De Minimis No More: What It Means for Importers and Consumers. On June 24, 2026, CBP revealed an interim last rule (IFR) that indefinitely suspends the de minimis administrative exemption for merchandise arriving via the global postal community and establishes a brand new casual entry course of for mail shipments valued at $2,500 or much less (91 FR 37801). The suspension took impact June 24, 2026, and the remainder of the IFR took impact July 24, 2026. 

The IFR made sure mail shipments ineligible for the brand new postal casual entry course of: merchandise topic to PGA necessities, merchandise topic to duties underneath Chapter 98 or 99 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS), and merchandise for which duty-free therapy is claimed underneath Chapter 98 or a free commerce settlement. Those shipments require formal entry underneath 19 CFR 145.12(a)(2)(v) and (vi), and the IFR delayed compliance with these two provisions to October 22, 2026. 

CBP introduced on October 14 that it will lengthen that date, as we famous in Breaking Trade News: CBP Informal Entry Deadline Extended. The October 22 last rule makes the extension official (91 FR 66638; RIN 1685-AA45). 

What the October 22 Final Rule Says 

• New date. The compliance date for 19 CFR 145.12(a)(2)(v) and (vi) is January 20, 2027. 
• Covered shipments. The rule names all three IFR classes: PGA necessities, Chapter 98 or 99 duties, and Chapter 98 or free commerce settlement duty-free claims. 
• Stated motive. CBP decided that importers, brokers, and logistics suppliers within the global postal community want extra time to replace inner techniques, develop procedures for submitting knowledge, and construct the know-how wanted to conform, and that not extending might disrupt global postal shipments. 
• No change within the interim. CBP acknowledged that the delayed date doesn’t change the method importers and different events at present use for casual mail entries throughout the delay. 
• Early compliance. Importers or different events might voluntarily come into compliance earlier if their processes are in place. 
• After January 20. CBP acknowledged that on the finish of the delayed compliance window, filers might select formal entry or take part within the Entry Type 13 take a look at for eligible shipments. 
• No remark interval. CBP issued the extension as a last rule underneath the Administrative Procedure Act’s good trigger exception, discovering discover and remark impracticable as a result of a remark interval would have run previous October 22. 

The last rule resolves a query raised by CBP’s October 14 launch, which described the January 20 group as shipments topic to Section 201, 232, or 301 duties or PGA jurisdiction. The revealed rule additionally expressly covers Chapter 98 duties and Chapter 98 or free commerce settlement duty-free claims. 

Entry Type 13 Filers Can Start Before PGA Data Is Complete 

Entry Type 13 is a voluntary CBP take a look at of an digital casual entry within the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) for global mail shipments valued at $2,500 or much less. It started September 22, 2026. The take a look at gives an off-the-cuff entry pathway for mail shipments topic to PGA knowledge necessities or to duties aside from these in HTSUS Chapters 1-97, that are ineligible for the postal casual entry course of. 

In a discover efficient October 22, 2026, CBP modified the take a look at (91 FR 66707): 

• Participants with shipments topic to PGA knowledge necessities might transmit PGA knowledge electronically in ACE with their Entry Type 13 submitting. 
• CBP may even briefly settle for an Entry Type 13 that’s not accompanied by full digital PGA knowledge. CBP acknowledged the aim is to let filers start utilizing Entry Type 13 whereas they work towards submitting full PGA knowledge. 
• CBP will announce the top of this short-term acceptance in a future Federal Register discover. The discover doesn’t set an finish date. 
• Merchandise topic to Chapter 98 or 99 duties, or claiming duty-free therapy underneath Chapter 98 or a free commerce settlement, should nonetheless transmit the extra knowledge these necessities mandate. 

DTL’s learn: The modification addresses what CBP will settle for on an Entry Type 13 transmission. The discover doesn’t state that any PGA’s personal necessities change. Filers utilizing the short-term acceptance ought to maintain constructing towards full PGA knowledge, as a result of CBP can finish the acceptance by discover at any time. 

Key Dates 

Which Mail Shipments Are Affected 

Shipments topic to antidumping or countervailing duties (AD/CVD) or quotas are ineligible for Entry Type 13 and should be entered underneath formal entry procedures (91 FR 38007). 

According to the Entry Type 13 take a look at discover, the suspension doesn’t have an effect on the de minimis exemption for qualifying bona fide presents underneath 19 U.S.C. 1321(a)(2)(A) and 19 CFR 10.152. 

How Importers Should Use the Time Before January 20 

The following steps are DTL’s suggestions for firms that transfer items via the global postal community. 

1. Map your mail quantity by class. Sort mail shipments by whether or not they carry PGA necessities, Chapter 98 or 99 duties, Chapter 98 or free commerce settlement claims, or AD/CVD or quota publicity. Each group follows a unique path within the desk above. 
2. Decide between formal entry and Entry Type 13. For eligible shipments within the three coated classes, CBP recognized two choices after January 20: formal entry or the Entry Type 13 take a look at. Price each in opposition to your quantity now. 
3. Start submitting Entry Type 13 now if PGA knowledge is the bottleneck. CBP’s short-term acceptance permits you to take a look at the submitting, bond, and dealer workflow earlier than your PGA knowledge feed is completed. In our expertise, knowledge and bond gaps floor on the primary filings, and it’s higher to seek out them whereas present procedures stay unchanged. 
4. Confirm who has the precise to make entry. Under the take a look at, the importer of file is the proprietor or purchaser of the merchandise, or a licensed dealer correctly appointed by the proprietor, purchaser, or consignee who acts as importer of file. A consignee who just isn’t an proprietor or purchaser should acquire the providers of a licensed customs dealer who acts as importer of file. 
5. Put the bond in place. Filing an Entry Type 13 requires a fundamental importation and entry bond, both a single transaction bond or a steady bond, with the phrases and circumstances in 19 CFR 113.62. 
6. Build the entry knowledge. Entry Type 13 take a look at filers submit the filer code, importer of file quantity, merchandise description, nation of origin, all relevant 10-digit HTSUS classifications (together with secondary Chapter 98 or 99 numbers), amount and weight the place particular obligation charges apply, obligation fee, worth, complete obligation owed, provider identify, the international postal operator monitoring quantity, and the arrival port. 
7. Account for test-participant publicity. The take a look at discover states that contributors who fail to comply with the take a look at phrases, fail to train cheap care, fail to adjust to relevant legal guidelines and rules that haven’t been waived, or fail to pay duties, taxes, or charges on time could also be topic to civil and prison penalties, administrative sanctions, liquidated damages, or different enforcement motion. 
8. Comment on the Low-Value Shipments proposal. Comments are due December 7, 2026, underneath docket USCBP-2026-0298 on rules.gov. We summarized the proposal in CBP Proposes Bonds and Earlier Filing for Low-Value Informal Entries: Comments Due December 7. 

Where This Leaves Mail Importers 

CBP’s October 8 proposal would terminate the present casual postal entry course of and require Entry Type 13 for casual postal shipments, with digital submitting upon or earlier than the date of importation, a bond, and extra knowledge parts (91 FR 64532). The October 22 paperwork don’t change that proposal. 

DTL’s learn: The October 22 rule adjustments the date for 3 classes of mail, not the course of the mail guidelines. The take a look at modification is the extra helpful growth for many filers, as a result of it removes PGA knowledge as a motive to attend. Companies that use the following three months to settle who information, safe a bond, and run reside Entry Type 13 filings can be positioned for January 20 and for no matter last rule follows the October 8 proposal. 

Diaz Trade Law advises importers, e-commerce sellers, and licensed customs brokers on postal entry obligations, Entry Type 13 readiness, bonding, and feedback on the Low-Value Shipments rulemaking. Contact us at [email protected] or (305) 456-3830. 

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Attorney Advertising. This article is for basic informational functions solely and isn’t authorized recommendation. Reading it doesn’t create an attorney-client relationship.